PJ Rehab Challenge - Let's do this from 12/25/10 to 3/25/11

Okay, here's the deal. I realized I had a problem when I received my $30 Hairveda grab bag in the mail on Thursday and debated buying more of the Vatika Frosting because it was on sale the very next day...I HAVE A PROBLEM!

So here are the rules. Plain and simple.

1. Take inventory of what you have. This will help you when you feel weak. You will know what you have hopefully deterring you from purchasing more.
2. Stop buying products!! The ONLY exception - if you are completely out (running low) of a product, you can buy a couple of jars to get you through a couple of months, i.e. You are completely out (running low) of gel or a leave-in, buy a couple of jars or enough to get that free shipping . And I know I have to get more detailed because PJ's need more detailed restriction -> You can't buy more gel if you are almost out of Qhemet's honeybush tea gel and still have some of Hairveda's whipped gelly collecting dust.
3. You are allowed to swap products. Heck, if you win any, that's great too. But don't come out of pocket.
4. Since most of us have our Black Friday orders we should be good on products for a while anyway. Let's do this from 12/25/10 to 3/25/11.

5. Update as much as you like. Share your tips on how you overcame your struggles.

I looked under my "hair sink" and took a gander at all the products I have and said, "This is the reason why I don't have new boots!"


A good portion of these products have a shelf-life, why let them go to waste?

This is all I can think of right now. If anyone has any other suggestions let's hear them.

Trust me, this hurts me too. Ori Organics is having a New Year's Day sale and now I can't participate

Hello, one.tru.luv!
I see you have lots of views but no takers. Perhaps too many of us have plans to use money & gift cards from Christmas. I have not bought anything since September, so after enduring Black Friday & Cyber Monday without making a purchase, I've suffered enough and will be buying a small treat. lol

I will be glad to join this challenge. I need to use up the products that I already have. This will save me and my husband a lot of money and it's cool that I can still product swap instead of purchasing

Count me in, y'all! I have lots to use.... How often do we update? And I guess confess any little debit card mishaps?

Goodness knows I need to start this like today-I just recently bought Qhemets Alma &Olive Heavy Cream from the swap board and today the Vatika Frosting from Hairveda...why do I need these two when I just put in kinky twists like yesterday. Not to mention all the butters I have not used yet ready for whipping...I'm in and ready to be rehabilitated.

yacoomba wrote:Goodness knows I need to start this like today-I just recently bought Qhemets Alma &Olive Heavy Cream from the swap board and today the Vatika Frosting from Hairveda...why do I need these two when I just put in kinky twists like yesterday. Not to mention all the butters I have not used yet ready for whipping...I'm in and ready to be rehabilitated.

I totally understand your pain. It seems I have developed more of a fascination with buying and trying new products than actually using them. This is definitely a problem since there will always be new products with glorifying reviews and insatiable curiosities. Now I want to venture out and buy clothes and shoes. And I can't do that with a mini BSS constantly growing under my sink, LOL

FalconTress wrote:Hello, one.tru.luv!
I see you have lots of views but no takers. Perhaps too many of us have plans to use money & gift cards from Christmas. I have not bought anything since September, so after enduring Black Friday & Cyber Monday without making a purchase, I've suffered enough and will be buying a small treat. lol

By all means indulge. You have done an awesome job going this long without making a purchase. Please share you tips on how you got through because I will definitely need them!

I'll join. I have a cabinet filled with stuff, not including the ingredients I bought to make stuff, some in the closet, kitchen cabinets, fridge and freezer. So here it is.

Hello, My name is Madeaj and I am a Product Junky. It has been two weeks since my last purchase if you don't count the oatmeal I bougth Thursday. I actually eat that as well as use it for personal care products.

This is how I live anyway. It truly saves money and gives you time to see what exactly your hair likes and dislikes. If you are always buying/trying different products, you'll never what works best for you in the long run. I keep it simple and cheap!

That's right non-PJers be a source of strength for us sharing your tips and letting us know we can do it too by being frugal; the thing is I was doing well at one time and then all of a sudden I started frequenting that product thread like everyday and BAM! All the products sounded good and yes I realize they may not work for me, but curiosity still rears its ugly head. I did give a lot of stuff away before but started accumulating items again and about to give away a few more products to a friend soon. The sad thing is I'm not even fully natural-a sister is in the 11th month of transition!

one.tru.luv wrote:

yacoomba wrote:Goodness knows I need to start this like today-I just recently bought Qhemets Alma &Olive Heavy Cream from the swap board and today the Vatika Frosting from Hairveda...why do I need these two when I just put in kinky twists like yesterday. Not to mention all the butters I have not used yet ready for whipping...I'm in and ready to be rehabilitated.

I totally understand your pain. It seems I have developed more of a fascination with buying and trying new products than actually using them. This is definitely a problem since there will always be new products with glorifying reviews and insatiable curiosities. Now I want to venture out and buy clothes and shoes. And I can't do that with a mini BSS constantly growing under my sink, LOL

Its bad I tell you-I'm glad you started this challenge up again...I need some accountability at this point. Happy to say I am swapping 3 items with someone on the board so no out of pocket for me! My Aussie Moist and Hawaiian Silky for her Shea Moisture Smoothie and DT Masque. Its still products I will have but the entire family is using them too at this point so it helps out :-)

TwistedKurlzz wrote:I will be glad to join this challenge. I need to use up the products that I already have. This will save me and my husband a lot of money and it's cool that I can still product swap instead of purchasing

Sure will just did a swap yesterday on the boards

I was doing fine also until about a month ago. Then I started wanting to buy everything up under the sun that everyone was recommending. I definitely need to stay out of the product section. I now have my staple products so I am going to just stick to using them and not purchase any more products until I run out of my current ones( which will be a very long time since I purchased so many of them).

@yacoomba I am still stalking the product swap section lol

[quote="Madeaj"]I'll join. I have a cabinet filled with stuff, not including the ingredients I bought to make stuff, some in the closet, kitchen cabinets, fridge and freezer.
Oh my I don't have anything in the freezer but I do have things in the bathroom closets and butters that I can be mixing my own moisturizing mixes, I was so intrigued with everyone's reviews of the Qhemets AOHC I had to have it and have been eyeballing it since before BF. I felt like a real PJ when I saw it pop on the swap board-my heart started racing and I immediately was PMing the OP and sending her messages on the thread like a mad woman. All I know if I had Paypal account ready to hit send and I couldn't see myself without this wonderful moisturizing cream everyone raves about! Then I get purchase the Vatika Frosting yesterday....sorry just airing my dirty laundry here

TwistedKurlzz wrote:@yacoomba I am still stalking the product swap section lol

I know that Product swap section is a beast isn't it-lol, I almost PM'd Latoya yesterday but I'm like I've already have an unopened bottle of Direct Giovanni Leave in ( I don't need anymore), I love the Koils by Nature Hair and Body Butter ( I use it on my body)-but I can make my own since I have Shea, Aloe, and Avocado butter here at the house along with different oils. So I backed away from her post but it was hard since all she wants is you pay for shipping*sigh*

mokacoffey wrote:Count me in, y'all! I have lots to use.... How often do we update? And I guess confess any little debit card mishaps?

lol-too funny

Just a forewarning-I'm doing the Castor Oil challenge and I have 2.5 ounces left in my squirt bottle. The challenge is to last all of winter so I'm not sure how far the amount above will get me but once I run out and if the challenge is still going I will have to repurchase. That will be my only purchase and I just wanted to share.

I think necessities are okay. Its the impulsive unnecessary purchase I'm trying to avoid. I have the hardest time not buying that bottle of new conditioner or more butters, etc. Even though I have to store what I have in the fridge.

So my mission is to not buy those unnecessary extras until after 3/25/11. I'm pulling all my stuff out and making a list so I can't fool myself into thinking I need something when I have two bottles of that something already.

Madeaj wrote:I think necessities are okay. Its the impulsive unnecessary purchase I'm trying to avoid. I have the hardest time not buying that bottle of new conditioner or more butters, etc. Even though I have to store what I have in the fridge.

So my mission is to not buy those unnecessary extras until after 3/25/11. I'm pulling all my stuff out and making a list so I can't fool myself into thinking I need something when I have two bottles of that something already.

That's a good idea

yacoomba wrote:Just a forewarning-I'm doing the Castor Oil challenge and I have 2.5 ounces left in my squirt bottle. The challenge is to last all of winter so I'm not sure how far the amount above will get me but once I run out and if the challenge is still going I will have to repurchase. That will be my only purchase and I just wanted to share.

By all means, if you're out then stock up with a couple of bottles if you like. Just stay strong enough not to buy anything else. You can do it!

one.tru.luv wrote:

yacoomba wrote:Just a forewarning-I'm doing the Castor Oil challenge and I have 2.5 ounces left in my squirt bottle. The challenge is to last all of winter so I'm not sure how far the amount above will get me but once I run out and if the challenge is still going I will have to repurchase. That will be my only purchase and I just wanted to share.

By all means, if you're out then stock up with a couple of bottles if you like. Just stay strong enough not to buy anything else. You can do it!

I'm just going to get one bottle due to it lasts a long time and thats it but only when I run out-I'm afraid to get it now as I'm still in a vulnerable state(lol).

yacoomba wrote:

one.tru.luv wrote:

yacoomba wrote:Just a forewarning-I'm doing the Castor Oil challenge and I have 2.5 ounces left in my squirt bottle. The challenge is to last all of winter so I'm not sure how far the amount above will get me but once I run out and if the challenge is still going I will have to repurchase. That will be my only purchase and I just wanted to share.

By all means, if you're out then stock up with a couple of bottles if you like. Just stay strong enough not to buy anything else. You can do it!

I'm just going to get one bottle due to it lasts a long time and thats it but only when I run out-I'm afraid to get it now as I'm still in a vulnerable state(lol).

LMBO!! "don't look into the light, carolann!" you can do it, just don't browse through the selection. think of other things you can do with the money you would buy instead of extra products...things for your place, add to your savings account, clothes, shoes, a vacation out of state, etc.

one.tru.luv wrote:

yacoomba wrote:

one.tru.luv wrote:

yacoomba wrote:Just a forewarning-I'm doing the Castor Oil challenge and I have 2.5 ounces left in my squirt bottle. The challenge is to last all of winter so I'm not sure how far the amount above will get me but once I run out and if the challenge is still going I will have to repurchase. That will be my only purchase and I just wanted to share.

By all means, if you're out then stock up with a couple of bottles if you like. Just stay strong enough not to buy anything else. You can do it!

I'm just going to get one bottle due to it lasts a long time and thats it but only when I run out-I'm afraid to get it now as I'm still in a vulnerable state(lol).

LMBO!! "don't look into the light, carolann!" you can do it, just don't browse through the selection. think of other things you can do with the money you would buy instead of extra products...things for your place, add to your savings account, clothes, shoes, a vacation out of state, etc.

LMBO-that is hillarious! You're right, my other weakness is clothes and shoes so I hope I don't switch the roles now

I'm just kidding-I'll be good. It will seriously save me some $$ and give me a chance to really evaluate products and not be a "product player"

For the love of products -Koils by Nature is having a sale-someone posted it on the blog just now (25% off everything and only $5 shipping). *chanting I can do this*